Biographical Sketches

EDWARD CARDWELL

EDWARD CARDWELL, of Cold Springs, Jefferson County, was born in 1832, in the village of Glenavey, County of Antrim, Ireland, being the eighth born of a family of ten.  His father, Edward Cardwell, was a farmer in moderate circumstances; his father was a non-commissioned officer in the English army, together with five brothers, two of whom were killed at the battle of Waterloo.  The subject of this sketch attended school while in Ireland, and after the death of his parents emigrated to America, then being sixteen years of age; went to Canada where he experienced all the vicissitudes of fortune that young emigrants usually experience in a country without friends or money; returned in the spring to Rochester, N. Y., and there learned the trade of carriage painting, which business he followed for some years through the State of New York and in Canada; in the meantime attended the High School at Rochester, and when short of funds was compelled to work at his trade; when in possession of the sum of one thousand dollars he decided to go West, and in the spring of 1857 went to Leavenworth, Kansas.  At that time, Kansas was in a state of turmoil, owing to the feeling that existed between the Free Soilers and the border ruffians, as they were called.  Leavenworth at that time was the outpost of civilization, as all west of the river only the Indian, the buffalo and wild animals were to be found; found employment at his trade in the quartermaster's department at Leavenworth, where he remained for three years, going to Colorado in the spring of 1860, being attracted by the discovery of gold; from there followed the throng to Pike's Peak; after prospecting for awhile he became superintendent for P. D. Casey, a prosperous miner, and quite a noted character in those days; was attracted still farther west by the Alder Gulch gold discoveries, arriving in that new camp November 7, 1863, where he met many of the men he had become acquainted with in Colorado; entered into partnership with John Caplice and Peter Ronan; mined at Central City, Virginia City and at Bummer Dan's Bar; passed through the exciting times where the road agent made life uncertain; he witnessed the hanging of Ives, Boonhelm, Gallagher and many other lawless men by the friends of law and good society, generally known as the Vigilantes.  After the hanging of those murderous wretches, Mr. Cardwell ventured to return to the States and succeeded in getting out without being molested by the highwaymen.  The trip was a hard one, as it took six weeks to reach Salt Lake; left their wagons at Port Neuf Canyon, and has never seen them since.  After a visit in the States he returned to Montana, and again engaged in mining, stock raising and farming in Jefferson County, his present home, which he has since followed.  Senator Cardwell is well known throughout the State both in public and private life, having served his country in the Council, in the Ninth Assembly; was also a member of the Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth and Fifteenth Territorial Assemblies; was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention; was a candidate for the Senate on the Democratic ticket at the first State election, and was defeated, but at the election of 1890 was more successful, and again occupied a seat with the State law-makers.  He is a bachelor.

Source: Transcription from the book, The Montana Blue Book, compiled by Jno. W. Pace and H. J. Mock, published in 1891; located on the website, Hathitrust Digital Library (http://www.hathitrust.org), accessed 31 August 2022.

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